This is the most important book I’ve helped publish in my career as a literary agent, and selling it almost broke me.When I pitched AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL ANTISEMITISM to publishers, I learned that editors were eager for anti-Zionist narratives. A book tracing how anti-Jewish, anti-American, and extremist ideology spread through our universities and out into the culture? Not at all. Some wouldn’t even read the proposal, citing “ideological differences.” Much of what landed in my inbox was openly hostile.Professor Shai Davidai lived this from inside Columbia University. In his book he explains what happened before and after October 7, 2023, what we are actually up against, and how to fight back.I’m grateful to Adam Bellow and Wicked Son for publishing it when no one else would. One more thing: pre-orders mean everything for a book to be successful. They all count toward launch week, and launch week is what gets a book noticed by retailers, reviewers, and the bestseller lists. If you’re going to buy this book, please order it now and share this message with your friends. If you are interested in bringing Shai to speak to your organization, let me know.Out October 6. Pre-order here: tinyurl.com/2h3s8mpt
On March 14, 2011, I read a short essay on CNN by a blogger I'd never heard of -Jill Smokler- on why less-than-perfect moms needed to unite. I followed it to her Scary Mommy blog and emailed her that same afternoon to ask whether she'd ever thought about a book. She wrote back the same day: "Yes! I would love to talk."I had the privilege of being her literary agent throughout her extraordinary run. Jill wrote CONFESSIONS OF A SCARY MOMMY, an instant New York Times bestseller, and two more Scary Mommy books after it, and built Scary Mommy into a community that gave millions of mothers permission to be honest, imperfect, and human.Jill died yesterday at 48, far too young. I'm thinking of her children, whom she loved fiercely, and of everyone who found themselves in the community she built. May her memory be a blessing. And f*ck cancer.
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I’m looking forward to teaching The Nonfiction Book Proposal Intensive, a live Zoom course for nonfiction writers who are developing book proposals and want a clearer understanding of how agents and publishers evaluate them.Over five Tuesday evenings in June, we’ll look closely at concept, positioning, overview, audience, platform, competitive titles, chapter outlines, sample chapters, and submission strategy — with an emphasis on helping writers shape stronger, more focused proposals.The course will be small and application-based, with enrollment capped at 8 writers.Application deadline: May 18 Course dates: 5 Tuesdays in June 2026, 6–8 PM ET + optional Q&A afterMore information is available at lnkd.in/eZ76NAVK or feel free to message me directly.
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I'm excited to announce I’ll be teaching a new live Zoom course starting June 2:THE NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL INTENSIVEFor years, one of my favorite parts of agenting has been helping authors take a strong nonfiction idea and shape it into a proposal that can be understood, positioned, and taken seriously in the marketplace.This first founding cohort will be intentionally small (limited to 8 participants) with introductory pricing.•5 Tuesdays in June•6–8 PM ET•Live on Zoom•Application deadline: May 18DM for details or email: lisa at leshneagency dot com with subject line Proposal Intensive Application.#NonfictionWriters #BookProposal #AmWritingNonfiction #MemoirWriters #PublishingTips #LiteraryAgent #AuthorPlatform #BookPublishing
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On Tuesday May 5, 7 pm, I'll be live in conversation at Congregation Rodeph Sholom with baseball writer and author Ken Davidoff to discuss 101 LESSONS FROM THE DUGOUT: What Baseball and Softball Can Teach Us about the Game of Life (Bloomsbury Publishing). We'll reflect on our individual careers and offer unique perspectives on the lessons of the game and the ever-evolving world of youth sports, media, and publishing. The event is free! For more info and to register: www.simpletix.com/e/lessons-from-the-dugout-with-ken-davidoff-tickets-266724?utm_medium=email&... I hope to see you there!
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